I just checked the draw and the third round match-ups to realise that Federer has such a tough draw. He played Kiefer, now he must beat Kuerten, and then Lopez, a player against who he lost some sets in past and never played him on clay. Then he will probably has to deal with Nalbandian who is so tough for him, and all of that only to enter semis!

Do you think he has a chance to win RG, or to be in the finals?

Shy

05-27-2004, 06:31 PM

He had though draw in the past, and came out ok.

LCeh

05-27-2004, 06:33 PM

Tough draws alert Roger to prepare. I think he should be fine if he brings out his A game, but I have a feeling he won't reach the finals, but if he does, I would think he can win this.

naiwen

05-27-2004, 06:34 PM

I guess ESPN is gonna show Serena or Capriati on Saturday.
Is there any way I can watch Guga and Roger playing?

:mad:

LCeh

05-27-2004, 06:35 PM

hmm.. not sure what NBC (http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=10993) would air, but I think they might show Roger. I hope so...

CmonAussie

05-27-2004, 06:37 PM

Roger is more vulnerable in the early rounds-> if he gets to the QF then he can probably go on to win the whole thing.
* Guga Kuertan may be the best hope of preventing Federer claiming a 2nd leg to the Grand Slam in 02!!

CmonAussie

05-27-2004, 06:38 PM

Oops I mean 04 @@

naiwen

05-27-2004, 06:38 PM

I know it's not possible for seeds to meet in early round.
But I think the ideal draws for Roger:

In the past few months, Roger has good records against those top 10 players.
:cool:
Yeah Roger seems to have figured out everyone by now~ amazing how he's transformed his poor Head-to-Head records against Agassi/Hewitt/Roddick/Henman/Ferrero etc.. around in the last 6-months!

Guga Kuertan is the unknown quantity-> if his hips feel fine then he may be the one to deliver Fedex a surprise in Rd3. All the other top players should pay for Guga's beers in that case; he could do the likes of Moya, Coria, Safin, Nalbandian, Hewitt,.. & other challengers a huge favour by taking out Roger before he gets to dominant! :sad:

CmonAussie

05-27-2004, 06:47 PM

Well, his last loss to a top 10 was against Tim back in Paris TMS... so I don't know, maybe that's some sort of sign? :shrug:
:wavey:
Actually Tiger Tim also beat Federer in Rotterdam QF in February this year :worship: !

LCeh

05-27-2004, 06:48 PM

Oh right, forgot about that... :scratch:

Hmm... well, he won't face Tim until the Finals... :D ;)

Chloe le Bopper

05-27-2004, 06:49 PM

Um? Look, I don't mean to bag on Guga, but it's 2004, and he just about lost in the first round. Hopefully he will surprise me and play an amazing third round, but I just don't see it.

And Lopez? Since when is he a magnificantly tough draw at Roland Garros? He's never even made the fourth round before, has he? Clay isn't his best surface. He's not horrible on it, but it's not his best.

Roger's draw is being overrated... I'm so surprised.

Horatio Caine

05-27-2004, 07:46 PM

Roger looks certain now to reach the very last rounds at RG. I can't see Guga unduely troubling him or Feli Lopez in the 4th round. Nalbandian didn't serve particularly well in his match today and will probably put up a better fight against Roger but will still lose. And as for a smi - final opponent, i don't think there is a potential opponent that can hurt him - maybe Costa? Who knows, maybe Costa will do a repeat of 2002? It is quite possible given the draw! Verkerk might even win the whole thing this year - no Ferrero to worry about! :haha:

Hewitt - Verkerk - after last week's spat between them, that could be an interesting match! :haha: :haha:

Mrs. B

05-27-2004, 08:12 PM

Roger's in the 3rd round. Better results than the last two years. ;)

BaselineSmash

05-27-2004, 08:24 PM

I know it's not possible for seeds to meet in early round.
But I think the ideal draws for Roger:

In the past few months, Roger has good records against those top 10 players.

You're crazy! That's looks to be about the worst draw conceivable. Federer is presently better than all those players, but the idea that he could sustain the physical level requisite to take them out succesively is pretty ridiculous. His match agiainst Kiefer today was a case in point. He didn't play that well because he clearly seemed to be pacing himself in view of the tougher matches to come, but he very nearly lost the third set. He knows as well as any other of his fellow pros that he needs to tie up his easier match-ups and conserve energy for the more difficult ones -with your hypothetical draw, he'd have to be on peak form every match to win, provided his opponents were at their best. Fit as he is, that would be virtually impossible.

Wulfram

05-27-2004, 08:25 PM

:wavey:
Actually Tiger Tim also beat Federer in Rotterdam QF in February this year :worship: !

Though I don't think Tim was top 10 at the time, or at Paris for that matter.

Havok

05-27-2004, 08:29 PM

It looked like a bad draw, it was sort of a bad draw, but Kuerten prob won't trouble him, Lopez isn't so great on clay, Nalbandian might pose a threat, but who knows with him anymore. Grosjean is out, Safin is lucky to still be alive and he can surely lose tomorrow vs Mantilla, they're tied at I think 7 all in the 5th. Ferrero not being at 100% health and going out, Schuettler going out. RG this year is turning out to be really :retard:

RogiFan88

05-27-2004, 09:20 PM

For sure RG04 is a wacky one...

Rogi's draw is tougher than Coria's or Moya's and now that Juanqui is out who's the fave in the bottom of the top half? Costa?? Surely not Hewitt... better not be or I'll be depressed...

Anyway, tough draw or not, it all depends on how well Rogi's playing this tourney... today he wasn't playing well at all and Kiwi almost took that 3rd set, probably s have but he crapped when he s not have... so there you have it. Rogi has been winning tourneys without playing his v best tennis.

But I do see Guga troubling him if he plays well and Rogi doesn't... no doubt Feli and Nalby w love to wreak revenge altho Feli is so hopeless he most likely won't; Nalby's more of a threat and gaining on clay lately. And if Costa meets Rogi in the SF, if they get that far, Rogi better watch out cos Costa loves this tourney and won't give up; I forgot about Mantilla, another one who goes the distance and has taken a nice TMS fr him on clay.

So, yes I think his draw is tricky -- but we'll see if Rogi can overcome it and get past 3rd rd. I hope he can.

undomiele

05-27-2004, 10:05 PM

Mmmm... I think Rogers luck in RG depends a lot on how many sets he has to play compared to Coria, Moya, and other clay faves --as these last guys have easier draws i think it can be said that Roger as a player is more likely to get into lengthly, drawn out matches than Coria or Moya, especially if he battles it out with a relatively in-form Guga or Costa or some other claycourter. Linking together 7 consecutive matches while maintaining his liner-style game in good form will be harder the more tired he gets. But we'll see, he has the goods to go far.

WyveN

05-27-2004, 10:52 PM

Rogers draw is second in difficulty only to Safin. Coria & Nalbandian could have had far tougher draws but the draw has opened up for them.

Chloe le Bopper

05-27-2004, 11:54 PM

I still... don't think that Rogers draw is a big deal. He should beat both players. Since when did Lopez become a clay guru? He's a worse draw on grass than he is on clay, and Roger didn't seem to lose to him at Wimbledon last year, so.

Anyways, I give up. Yes, Roger has the hardest draw that the world has ever seen, and I just don't know what he's going ot do with it. *sniff*

WyveN

05-28-2004, 01:12 AM

I still... don't think that Rogers draw is a big deal. He should beat both players. Since when did Lopez become a clay guru? He's a worse draw on grass than he is on clay, and Roger didn't seem to lose to him at Wimbledon last year, so.

Anyways, I give up. Yes, Roger has the hardest draw that the world has ever seen, and I just don't know what he's going ot do with it. *sniff*

i didnt say Rogers draw was hard, I said it was second in difficulty only to Safin.
Guga in a 3rd round can never be considered easy though.

WF4EVER

05-28-2004, 03:01 AM

Roger had a really tough match today vs Keifer. He wasn't playing well nor serving well but the only thing that I was displeased about in his game was him losing serve after being up 40-0 on his serve. That just really pissed me off, but otherwise I think he stepped up when he had to and won the important points which was was he was supposed to do.

I saw his interview after and got the impression that he was a little nasally. Anyone else think so, that he might have a little congestion?

little duck

05-29-2004, 01:27 PM

Heeeey, Rebeccaaa?

Where are youuuu?

heya

05-29-2004, 03:11 PM

Guga dominated on hardcourt and claycourt. :worship:

LCeh

05-29-2004, 03:14 PM

:confused:

OH.

Not really heya, I think he plays better on grass and carpet...

YoursTruly

05-29-2004, 03:31 PM

Well, at least the grass court season is next :)
This is weird because a lot have been saying that Roger could be the next Sampras for this era, but that could also be a bad thing because though Pete is a legend, he couldn't win the French Open!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

J. Corwin

05-29-2004, 09:56 PM

Well it certainly was tough enough for Roger that he wasn't able to handle it. But he did improve upon the last two years.

Santorofan

05-29-2004, 10:29 PM

As you can tell in my signature, I'm a Federer fan, but I'm surprised some people gave Guga no chance :rolleyes: this isn't Wimbledon, ok ??! :)

Para benz Guga!!!!

Pea

05-29-2004, 11:09 PM

Well, Guga has not been the same since his hip surgery. I expected Roger to win in straight sets.:o